Chapter 2: Happy Ending
A/N: Twilight and all the chapters belong to Stephenie Meyer.
Yay - I got this chapter out a day early!! Cannot wait to see Taylor on SNL tonight!! Very excited!!
I'm still looking for a beta for this story. As I need someone to help me keep my facts/story line straight as well as someone to check spelling and grammar. If you are interested in helping me out, please PM me or send me an e-mail at black_011 at me dot com (change at with "" and dot with "."). Thanks in advanced!!
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Stepping in front my me, Edward turned around to look at me. "He's not at home right now. Would you like to take a walk with me in the woods?" Nodding I followed the man absentmindedly.
The woods was a magical place – filled with thousand year old trees and plants of every variety. Yet everything was green. It seemed surreal to me that everything in this place was so alive. I guess was due to the climate. For the few days I had been travelling through Washington, it had never been sunny. This had been to my advantage because I could travel in the day rather than staying inside. I noticed the animals around us became still as we walked past. Creatures of the wild were so fearful of us. They were a lot smarter than humans. It was odd how brave humans had become in the last two thousand years.
"So what is your story?" Edward asked suddenly. The question took me off guard.
"M-my story?"
"Yes." Pausing for a moment, Edward began to think of another way to reword the question. "What brought you to be with the Volturi?"
"That's a very personal question Edward. Especially about someone you just met." I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell him my story. I had never really told anyone my story before. Aro was the only creature who really knew my past.
"You don't have to answer. But I can't stand the silence. It's something that is almost alien to me." He explained. Oh, so that is the reason why he is asking me – he wants to know more about me.
"It doesn't have a happy ending. Are you sure you want to hear it?" A veil covered my memories of my human existence. It had always been difficult to remember.
"Does any of our stories have that ending?"
"No I guess you are correct in that statement." Well might as well tell him, I pushed away my shield and let him relive parts of the story with me…
"Isabella Swan? What's wrong sweetheart?" I hadn't even realized that the door had been opened.
"Why did she have to die? Why did she leave me all alone?" It was difficult for me to think about my mother at the moment. I was still in shock that she had died. She was the only one I had left – everyone had abandoned me.
"Isabella – please." The man kissed me lightly on the face as he reached down and grabbed my hand. "Dear Isabella, you still have me." Nodding, I let him pick me up off the floor. Rubbing my hand, I had forgotten I was wearing the engagement ring he had given me.
"I know. It's just very difficult for me to think about her. All day, I've put a smile on my face but I never really got to cry for her." Tears begame to run down my face as I looked up at the man. "Thank you for coming to get me."
With a small smile on his face, the man helped me to the water basin that a servant must have left in my quarters. "You know I'll always be there for you my darling. Please, wash your face. We have to leave now."
…Edward looked at me with a surreal look. As I began to loose concentration, my shield few back towards me. "Do you remember the man's name?"
Shaking my head I looked down at the wedding ring I still wore on my third finger on my left hand. "No I do not. You have to remember Edward, my human memories are quite clouded. I can only remember certain days now." I explained.
"Isabella, how old are you?"
"I'm not exactly sure as we counted days and years quite differently back then. I can pin point my birth to be around 27 BC which was the beginning of the Roman Empire." Yes, I'm much older than even Carlisle. "Would you like me to continue?" As I saw him nodding, I quickly pushed my shield away from my body once again…
"Welcome to Volterra, Isabella!" I couldn't believe that we had travelled this far. It was quite an experience. Finally, we entered a city where we could celebrate the Gods in power.
"Oh my – it's so large. It's beautiful." I replied with a smile on my face. My mother had almost completely left my thoughts. I only thought of my future now. I couldn't wait to get settled and have a handful of children running around under my dress.
"They have an amazing priest in this city." He explained. "I also have friends in the city which I would love for you to meet. I'm sure they can be witnesses at the wedding." Hearing about the wedding made me very saddened. Not only would my mother and father not be there to give me away as they have both passed away, I also had no dowry to give the man I loved. It was a surreal circumstance.
The son of a politician, he had been there to help my mother when she was sick. At 17, I was considered too old to marry. My mother wanted to hold onto me and never found someone to give me away to. On her death bed, she begged my future husband to take care of me. Little did she know, we had both fallen deeply in love and were planning to get married.
After my mother passed away, we decided it would be better for me to leave my small village. Called to the palace, he was to take his father's place in Rome. This was when we had decided it would be best if I travel with him and we get married before we returned to Rome so I would be known as his wife.
"Oh of course we could get married here." I was delighted he suggested it and excited for the ritual to Jupiter. As I dismounted my house, a beautiful lady appeared in front of us.
"My masters give their regards and wish for you to join our family for dinner tonight?" She asked in her melodic voice.
Nodding, the man I was about to marry grabbed my hand and moved our party towards the woman. "Oh course we would love to meet your masters." He explained. "This is my bride to be Isabella Swan."
"It's a pleasure to meet both of you. My name is Heidi Volturi." She smiled as she led the party towards a large house. It was very dark but the woman with white skin almost looked like she had a red ring around her eyes. I pushed the idea out of my head as quickly as it had entered it…
"Is this the Heidi from the guard?" Edward asked suddenly as my shield fell back into place.
Nodding, I looked up at the canapé of the trees. "You know," I began to explain. "It is very difficult for me to pull my shield away from me. If you keep interrupting me then I won't be able to show me the rest of my story."
"Okay, I'll be quiet." Nodding, once again, I pushed my shield away from my body…
"Welcome to our humble home." This man looked almost strange to me. He was even paler than Heidi. He also made me very nervous and something definitely did not feel right. "My name is Aro – please make yourself at home." With a smile the man walked out of the room. The party sat comfortably in the couches which they had provided as we waited for dinner.
Suddenly, the door opened and a small girl with blood red eyes entered the room. She looked no older than 15 years old. A strange smile was plastered on her face and fear suddenly took over my whole body. Something bad was going to happen. Just as I froze, everyone around me feel to the ground. The look of fear and pain filled their faces as they cried out in agony.
As soon as this happened, many others entered the room. I stood up and looked around in absolute horror. "What is going on?" I shrieked as the man who introduced himself as Aro.
"Stop Jane!" He ordered as the people around me suddenly collapsed. Fear evoked my whole body as the man walked towards me. I froze in revulsion. "What is your name child?" He demanded. I opened my mouth but not a sound came out.
"Her name is Isabella. She's the bride of this to be of this politician I found on the street. They thought they were joining us for dinner. Little did they know they would be the dinner." What was she talking about? Did they eat people? Why was everyone unconscious except me? What was going on? I opened my mouth again to attempt to ask these questions but once again, I could make no sound.
"Enough Heidi." Aro walked forward to stand in front of me and offered me his hand. Gracefully as possible at the moment, my shaky hand lifted up and was placed in the strangers' hand. "Oh my," he mumbled. "This is quite a power we have come across." Looking across the room, he summoned another person to step forward. These people were not human – this creature seemed to almost appear in front of me.
"Master." He mumbled as he bowed. "I can't get anything off her. She is the ultimate shield." He explained. A shield? What was he talking about.
"Quite interesting. She would make an excellent addition to our guard." Aro almost spoke to himself. He must have forgotten I was still holding his hand.
"G-guard?" Finally, I was able to speak. Taking a large breath, I attempted to lower my heart beat.
Turning, Aro smiled. "Oh, she does speak. My dear Isabella. Please, this must be very confusing situation for you. I need you to rest up. We will make up a bed for you." I suddenly felt a strange urge to stay in this house. Almost like these people needed me. I felt almost calm and collective as I followed Aro out of the room and down the dark hallway. We walked down many stairs as I made my way into a dark room with a large dark framed bed. "Isabella, please sit down." Nodding, I sat down beside Aro.
"What's going to happen to my fam…" His white finger suddenly moved over my mouth.
"Shh…please Isabella, just relax." He whispered in my ear. His mouth then moved down my neck. I shivered as I felt his mouth move down my face. He stopped suddenly as his lips met my neck. "This will hurt my dear Isabella but I want you to promise to survive…
I felt my shield come back towards me as I lost concentration. "The next part is not so hard to remember." I mumbled almost to myself.
Silence filled the air as we started to make our way back to the house. He turned around as his golden eyes looked me directly in the face. "Thank you Isabella Swan." No one had called me that in over two thousand years. Soft dry sobs suddenly appeared on my face. All I wanted to do was be held my those strong arms. Why did Edward remind me of my lost love? What couldn't I even remember his name?
For some reason, without actually being able to read my mind, Edward knew exactly what I needed. Awkwardly, he wrapped his arms around me. Looking up at the man I smiled. "Thank you."
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Please review and tell me what you think!! Question for all of you, I would like a chapter that Bella spends a day with all the Cullens? Where do you think a good bonding time would be with each of Edwards' brothers and sisters as well as Carlisle and Esme? Please let me know your ideas!!
I should have the next chapter done by next weekend ~
